


Necessary Evil

by Malice



Category: TDKR - Fandom, The Dark Knight Rises
Genre: Bane without a mask, F/M, Nolan verse, The Dark Knight Series, the dark knight rises - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-15
Updated: 2012-08-15
Packaged: 2017-11-12 05:36:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/487302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malice/pseuds/Malice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morrocco - Bou Cra Mine<br/>Talia and Bane's first mission goes without a hitch, but that cannot be said for the second phase of the League's Plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Necessary Evil

With youthful laughter in their voices they had succeeded. Even Bane's mood was lifted, now that their team had gotten it's feet wet. The mission had been nothing but an overwhelming success and he wore it with pride over his heart. Bane turned to look to Talia. Even with her nose in her papers, reviewing them again, she was smiling. Spirits were light as they casually went over the plan one more time before cracking jokes. The League had started to turn into a family. These were his brothers and sisters in arms. Their cause was just and they were here to restore balance within this world.

The government had a tight grip on two thirds of the providence here. The land was ripe with fishing and phosphate mining. The Leauge had decided that this grip was far too tight. It was slowly chocking their people. So their team had been dispatched to reprehend the situation. What they took, they gave back to the people, restoring a crucial balance that would bring peace and prosperity overall. Sadly, for a greater good to be achieved - some souls must pay the ultimate price. 

This was not a new concept for the League, certainly. It was also an idea that Bane had taken to heart at a young age. To safe one, some others must often pay the price. Bane double checked his ammunition and weapons one last time before putting them away. The car jostled from side to side as he strained with some difficulty to place another tablet inside one of the tubes in his latest version of his mask. 

The tablet was one of his latest experiments. Could he function without a mask? Would this new additive to the mixture let him be able to live and breathe freely? Minutes passed and he checked his watch. The rest of the their group in the van were talking quietly about different training methods for new recruits; all the while he was taking off the mask. For the first time in almost four months, he was breathing normally. 

Freedom.  
Yet their success did not last.

 

They had become separated. Their group was split nearly in half. Talia was still inside, Bane and his crew were doubling back to retrieve them. His voice was hoarse from screaming orders over the firefight that was taking place. They had to give their brothers cover. They had to get her out of there. He couldn't figure out where their plan had failed; how he had failed.  
He would never be able to repay his debt, if she was dead. He had tried to get her to stay back, to stay with the League. It had been safer there. Screaming and cursing he charged forward. Men fell around him, succumbing to their wounds from round after round. 

He had only meant to supervise the mission, to act as the Ra's eyes and ears. He wasn't supposed to get involved. He wasn't allowed to get involved; The League of Shadows creates a delicate art...This is no brawl, Bane.  
He barked orders, rousing a few words and made another mad dash to the mine. They didn't have time for this. If they waited any longer...This medicine can't last forever.

The sounds of gunfire shifted. One machine was used with more fervor. Short quick rounds, their targets falling quickly at his feet as he strode onward. The firefight was over. The government agents had all fallen now and his men were jogging behind him And he saw her. Raw with screaming he still manages to choke out her name, right as he sees a menacing figure behind her. His heart slows, mind reeling as he raises his gun to shoot the man between the eyes. His finger presses upon the trigger...

He's on his knees in a moment, legs giving out beneath him as white hot claws dig into his head neck and shoulder. His hands fail him and he loses sight of Talia but he can hear her voice across the grounds. He almost blacks out.

 

He get's back onto his feet, forgetting the gun as he runs for all his worth. His lungs burn for medicated air as already withdraw from the new medicine sets in. Fool. Your personal dreams have gotten her killed. He chastises himself a thousand times before he sees her rise from a crouch. His eyes open wide as he stares in shock even as she shakily walks towards him. It's the longest hundred meter he had to run in his life...

Bane looks her over, checking for injury. Her nose is bleeding, possibly broken. Blood stains her quivering hands as she reaches out, looking at them. He grasps her tightly, trying hard to ignore he spasms in his shoulders that are slowly robbing him of his strength. But she's alive...But...

A man lays not five feet from where Talia stands. His head bashed into a desk, a define hollow placed into the man's temple. 

"Talia, no..." he breathes as his embrace turns for a silent cry for support.  
"I did it..." she says, as she rubs the growing line of blood from her nose with the back of her hand. "I've made my bones."  
"I'm s-"  
"Don't be," she interrupts as she steels herself.  
Words fail him as he lets go of her, the two of them shaking and finding little stabilization within one another's arms for once.

And just like that she was smiling again, chastising him for practicing his experiments while on the job. She handed him a cloth and a freeze dried packet; she always had them on hand. He clutched the items to his face and breathed in deeply. His disappointment slowly turning into rage. The two start to walk back to the cars; the silence between them repeatedly cut down by his heavy breaths. 

"We won Bane. We have taken the mine? Why cannot you be overjoyed by this?" she pressed him as he continued to walk away from the scene.  
Renewed he turned and threw the cloth down in anger.  
"And at what cost!?" he bellowed into the night air, arms spread as he surveyed the scene.  
"What are you talking about. Our men, they only have minor injuries."  
"You, Talia! What of you?"

Her face fluttered between confusion, pride, and anger.  
"You didn't think I could, that I should have killed -" she looked at her hands and then to him. "It is a necessary evil! We have done so much good here toda-"  
"No, Talia. I never doubted you." he said shaking his head as he grabbed her hands and kissed her forehead.  
He had failed his work, his training, his promise; to protect her and keep her from harm. He had never wanted it to come to this. 

He looked down at her, rubbing tears from her eyes as he felt some of his own slip down his face. There was pride in those eyes, and a deep sense of loss; mourning of the child he had known not so long ago.  
"If there is to be a necessary evil," he said as he opened the van door and stepped inside, quickly donning the mask. "Let it be me."


End file.
